Pages

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

It is the morning of the last day. I just read Mark's post and, from the sound of it, you'd think that HE was the one who'd been taking codeine. But alas, that is not true. I had to go onto my emergency meds. Although I did not mention it before, I lost my filling (again) on the morning we saw Sr Lauren and, since then, have been coping with a random hole in my tooth. Last night it decided to hurt. Maybe it could sense our proximity to the end.

"Irregardless," we're ready to walk these last six miles. Over the last few nights we've stayed with Cookie Harris, Josh's parents, and now with the Mackins.

I'd write more, but I need to grab some breakfast for the last leg... and you, doubtless, need to get to the store to buy me lavish presents. It has been a long and fruitful summer... and as tired as we are, it is sad that it is coming to an end.

Almost done, We have six miles left in our journey as I sit writing this. I’ve figured out that I can sit out almost every shift and the only result is that everyone thinks less of me…and that’s it, so I win. The Cloutiers joined us today for a few shifts and Jo-jo is adorable, even after she found these discarded sunglasses which Andi let her keep despite their doubtless contamination with the HIV. I can feel the arches of my feet falling with each step I take and I’ve mended the sole of my right shoe as best I could using the meager materials afforded me. I’ve also crafted snowshoes from bent saplings and rawhide strips, though I don’t anticipate a need for them at this stage. We were forced to eat Scott this morning…sorry, typo, eat with Scott this morning. It’s been an amazing few days and the weekend was a blast. I don’t enjoy bragging, but it is important that the world know of my burgeoning Liturgy of the Hours skills, which some have called “mad”, lest I take it by storm. As we gather to pray, whether it be in the morning, evening or night, I can always tell that the eyes of the group turn to me to silently (yet earnestly) laud my vocal talents. They pretend not to be looking, but I can feel their eyes and it weighs heavy on my soul. Lord give me humility, just not yet. I will see you all in Washington tomorrow and Scott would like those of you who have purchased palm branches to lay down before him that we will be coming down to the shrine, much like a thief in the late morning.

Friday, August 01, 2008

So I am writing this on Andi’s twentieth birthday. No longer can we shake our head at her antics and call her a “teeny bopper”—a phrase which agitates her almost as much as my firm insistence that “America runs on Dunkin.” To celebrate her birth, we’ve arranged for there to be a solar eclipse. We’ve also arranged for her to walk with us for twenty or so miles… but that’s just par for the course. I’ve heard rumors about a pool party tomorrow to celebrate both her birthday and my own—evidently brownie sundaes and dinosaurs were just to whet my birthday appetite.

We’re in Maryland now. On Wednesday night we stayed with the Newmans (aka Jessica’s parents) and we ate a huge Thanksgiving Dinner (complete with gravy, pumpkin pie, and decorations). The Cloutiers drove down to join us, as did Dave Sao and Wes and Josh and Jeff and Monica (who is now walking with us!). We liked the “Newman Center” so much that we stayed there again last night.

Today we’re slowly trekking toward Baltimore. If I can get the other MoEs to respect my “Blog Master Authority” then we might soon see some bios from Monica and the Leopolds (Joe, Mark, and Faith). Incidentally, “Monica and the Leopolds” sounds like an excellent name for a band. Maybe we can convince/force them to sing some songs in honor of the birthday madness.

Well, dear readers, you’ll have to excuse me now. It’s time for me to finish wrapping my feet (which, after weeks of relative peace, have decided to start blistering again). Catch ya on the flip side.

As I sit here, I find myself attempting to rival our Blogmaster’s wit and coming up hopelessly short. Instead I shall try to soften your hearts with gushy talk of feelings and friendships made. I, Mark, write this now to represent the three Leopolds who have only recently joined this walk, though I hope and encourage Joe to share his thoughts here as well, all the while actively discouraging Faith in everything.

I first learned of the MoE walk two weeks ago when my brother Joe asked me if I’d like to join him, because he suspected the company he would be forced to keep would be somewhat sedate for his tastes, a suspicion I shared…until I got here. I have participated in the past in a number of Catholic events and groups and have found them largely to be made up of people who I don’t find myself entirely comfortable around. Apparently unmasked cynicism and caustic sarcasm are not only lost on the members of these groups, but can be quite offensive to them as well. In the MoE’s however, I find myself at M-O-ease (thanks Faith). There is a camaraderie and fellowship like nothing I have known outside that time I watched The Fellowship of the Rings. Jessica is great, always patient and a good leader and she has a wondrous flowing beard…just like Gandalf. Scott is funny…he makes us laugh and he loudly praises our hackish puns and he carries a giant axe (that’s right I’m making a LOTR metaphor, bear with me), just like Gimli. Andi is kind and adventurous…and short, which makes her Pippin and her best friend and confidant is the effervescent and loyal Meredith who we’ve all taken to calling Merry(just me really, but I like to think it’ll catch on). Becca, ever watchful and agile and good at walking on snow is naturally Legolas while Zack, our stalwart defender and silent guardian is Strider…also cause he has ridiculously long legs. Monica just joined us yesterday so she’ll start off as Sam…sorry Monica gotta pay you dues sister.Well my shift is starting now, so I’ll be sure to blog a little bit more when I get the time.

Who we are?

Every summer we, the Missionaries of the Eucharist, are walking from Lewiston, Maine to Washington, DC to proclaim the beauty of the Catholic faith to everyone we meet, specifically through the Theology of the Body.

Conversion begins in our own hearts,which is why prayer is so important to our ministry. For this reason, everyday of our ten week walk begins with daily Mass. By receiving Christ in the Eucharist, we are given the grace to be the Love of Christ not only to those in our community but also to those we meet in the streets.

We walk throughout the day to be a witness of love. We are grounded in prayer-we pray with our lips, our hearts, and our bodies. In walking an average of twenty-five miles per day, we offer our fatigue as a gift of love to Christ and the people we meet. Our walking is both sacrifice and prayer.

Donations

please contact:info@themoes.us

What do we do?

We begin everyday receiving Jesus in the Mass. We then bear Him out to all those whom we encounter.

Our mission is to evangelize those whom we meet. We hand out rosaries, speak in parishes, and pray and counsel outside of abortion clinics. We open our hearts to the needs of all those whom we meet, ranging from homelessness to addiction to questions about the Faith.

God puts many people in our path to encourage us in our mission. We are an organization wholly dependent on the love and generosity of others. Parishes and families open their homes to us during the summer to give us a bite to eat and a place to sleep. Everything-from the vehicles we drive to the shirts on our backs-comes to us through donations.